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Changes of the Intestinal Microbiota, Short Chain Fatty Acids, and Fecal pH in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

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Abstract

Background

New molecular biology-based methods of bacterial identification are expected to help elucidate the relationship between colorectal cancer (CRC) and intestinal microbiota. Although there is increasing evidence revealing the potential role of microbiota in CRC, it remains unclear whether microbial dysbiosis is the cause or the result of CRC onset.

Aim

We investigated the changes of intestinal environments in CRC or adenoma.

Methods

We analyzed 13 groups of microbiota, 8 types of organic acids, and pH in feces obtained from the following 3 groups: individuals with CRC, adenoma, and non-adenoma. Ninety-three patients with CRC and 49 healthy individuals (22 with adenoma and 27 without adenoma) were enrolled.

Results

The counts of total bacteria (10.3 ± 0.7 vs. 10.8 ± 0.3 log10 cells/g of feces; p < 0.001), 5 groups of obligate anaerobe, and 2 groups of facultative anaerobes were significantly lower in the CRC group than in the healthy individuals. While the concentrations of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were significantly decreased in the CRC group, the pH was increased in the CRC group (7.4 ± 0.8 vs. 6.9 ± 0.6; p < 0.001). Comparison among the CRC, adenoma, and non-adenoma groups revealed that fecal SCFAs and pH in the adenoma group were intermediate to the CRC group and the non-adenoma group. Within the CRC group, no differences in microbiota or organic acids were observed among Dukes stages.

Conclusions

CRC patients showed significant differences in the intestinal environment, including alterations of microbiota, decreased SCFAs, and elevated pH. These changes are not a result of CRC progression but are involved in CRC onset.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all the subjects who participated in this study. We also thank the nursing staff of the 10E Medical Examination Ward and 8E Surgery Ward in St. Luke’s International Hospital for their cooperation in the prompt collection and storage of fecal samples. We thank Norikatsu Yuki for technical help with the analysis of fecal samples. This study was supported in part by a grant from St. Luke’s Life Science Institute.

Conflicts of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, St. Luke’s International Hospital, 9-1 Akashi-cho Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan

    Seiji Ohigashi, Kazuki Sudo & Hisashi Onodera

  2. Department of General Internal Medicine, St. Luke’s International Hospital, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan

    Daiki Kobayashi

  3. Center for Clinical Epidemiology, St. Luke’s Life Science Institute, Tokyo, 104-0044, Japan

    Osamu Takahashi

  4. Yakult Central Institute for Microbiological Research, Kunitachi-shi, 186-0011, Japan

    Takuya Takahashi, Takashi Asahara & Koji Nomoto

Authors
  1. Seiji Ohigashi
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  2. Kazuki Sudo
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  3. Daiki Kobayashi
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  4. Osamu Takahashi
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  5. Takuya Takahashi
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  8. Hisashi Onodera
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Correspondence to Seiji Ohigashi.

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Ohigashi, S., Sudo, K., Kobayashi, D. et al. Changes of the Intestinal Microbiota, Short Chain Fatty Acids, and Fecal pH in Patients with Colorectal Cancer. Dig Dis Sci 58, 1717–1726 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-012-2526-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-012-2526-4

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